[UPDATE] Man Missing Near Alderpoint

A man is missing from the Rancho Sequoia/Alderpoint community in Southern Humboldt. Mitchell Hernandez, who was visiting family, was last seen November 20. “He’s not from the area,”explained Selena Zorrilla-Mendoza of the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department. “The people he was with attempted to look for him and they were unsuccessful.”

According to Ray Villarreal, who described himself as Hernandez’s brother-in-law, “He was last seen in [the] Alderpoint area… at around 2:00 to 2:30 pm down by the river…I found his backpack kinda by the waters edge just sitting there.”

Zorrilla-Mendoza explained that “his backpack was found near the river near Fort Seward.”

There have been multiple rumors about Hernandez’s disappearance. Zorrilla-Mendoza was unwilling to confirm any but said,”It is under investigation as to what he may have been doing when he left the people he was with…If there was an incident, we would like the people to come forward so we can speak to them in regards to what may have occurred…He may have been in possession of a firearm.”

According to another sister who lives in Texas, Tiffany “Rian” Hernandez, she explained that she was told her brother had a gun. “[He had been] given a .40 caliber pistol,” she said. “The gun is gone and my brother is missing. It has been 9 days…The worst case is he’s gone and we don’t have any resolution…. He has family; he has his kids. We don’t know what the truth is.”

Hernandez is 5’9″, 200 pounds and is 47 years old. He has graying dark hair and brown eyes. If you have any information, please contact the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office at (707) 445-7251.

UPDATE Thursday: Press release from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office:

On Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at approximately 4:10 p.m. the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing male subject. The reporting party stated her son, 47 year old Mitchell Hernandez, had not been seen or heard from since November 20, 2016. Hernandez was reported to have been visiting family in the Rancho Sequoia area of Alderpoint in Southern Humboldt on November 20th. At some point, Hernandez left the residence on foot and was possibly en route to a nearby store. Hernandez has not been heard from since.
Family members located Hernandez’s backpack near the river bar, below the town of Alderpoint. Deputies returned to that area to search but were unable to locate any further signs of Hernandez. Hernandez possibly suffers from mental health issues and reported hearing voices the night of his disappearance. Deputies investigating the disappearance have been unable to locate Hernandez as of this time. Hernandez is described as a Hispanic male adult, 5’9” tall, 200 lbs, with brown graying hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a gray sweatshirt.
Anyone with information for the Sheriff’s Office regarding this case or related criminal activity is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 707-445-7251 or the Sheriff’s Office Crime Tip line at 707-268-2539.

but Eastside how do we know he got to Fort Seward they just found his pack there and Bc well that would depend when exactly they found it, if I’m not mistaken the 20th was the day of the special moon so i don’t think it rained but I’m sure on the following days it did, so who knows if it where wet do to rain or river if thats the case and I wonder why they waited so long to announce this case to the public

I don’t know. Walking down the river to Ft.Seward, no, seriously doubt it. Backpack washing down river from AP, possible. Did he have a vehicle? Why was he “given” a gun? The story lacks details so it’s hard to figure out, but it sounds fishy as hell. I hope he’s found alive and well.

Searchers should look along the steep embankments. I flipped my car out there 2 weeks ago in the woods. If I had been knocked out or killed, who knows how long it would have been til I was found. Best wishes for a safe return!

I don’t think he made it to Fort Seward. I don’t believe he had a gun. He lived with me for 2 and 1/2 years up until November 2, 2016. He was not mentally unstable. He never heard voices. He was strong and wise about the mountains. I’m suspecting foul play. He did not have a gun. He is a good man. He had much to live for. He adores his children and we talked on the 16th. I was thinking of visiting him. I didn’t know how dangerous it was out there. He asked me to go and he was going to send me pictures. He said he’d contact me again as soon as he had reception again to discuss me possibly going out there with him. I never heard from him again. His sister Natalie didn’t tell me he was missing until she asked me about him on November 26th. She said he’d been missing since the 20th and that his backpack was found on Monday the 21st by the river. He sounded hopeful on the 16th. He had no reason to dissapear. We were making plans. He said he had a 2 week job up there and after that he was going to help a local build a hot rod race car. I was planning on asking him to move back to San Diego again with me once he got on his feet. He sent me several text on the 16th asking me to live with him again. He told me many positive things and there was still hope for our relationship. He is a kind man, father of 4. Very loving father. Adored by mother, grandmother, family and friends. Great cook, best friend. Always made friends with people, helping people who were homeless or hungry. Please pray with me for his protection and safe return. I’m fearing that he is hurt and unable to seek help. I pray that search and rescue will do all they can to find him. There are many dangers that he can encounter and he may have fallen into the river and God knows where he is. I am praying really hard for a miracle. For God all things are possible.

Thank you G-ma. I’m praying and trying so hard to be positive but I’m so worried that he’s been out there alone lost in the woods so long without food or water. Possibly hurt. He has survival skills but if someone hurt him or if he is simply hurt beyond being able to seek help. It scares me like crazy. Please join me with your continued prayers.

Natalie herself told me and my sister YOU had given him a 40. Pistol against her wishes because he was “hearing voices” outside where he was staying one of the nights and felt better armed. She said you did it against her better judgement because she felt he was “mentally unstable”…it would be nice to have facts. Reporting this late and on Facebook of all places is selfish and detrimental to Mitch. So if anyone is to blame for this “gun rumor” check with Natalie.

Who is this YOU? What a fishy story. From him hearing voices to mentally unstable sounds very fishy and not like him. Who gave him a 40 pistol? None of these things make any sense. Who did this? I think he’s hurt and lost in a ditch somewhere between the river and the store and it’s going to take a miracle, prayers and quick action by search and rescue to save him on time. He provably hasn’t eaten anything since Nov 20th. Why won’t search and rescue look for him? I heard it was stopped because of the weather.

ANYONE PLEASE HELP LOOK FOR THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN. HE HAS 4 KIDS WHO ARE DEEPLY WORRIED AS WELL AS ALL HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY HERE IN THE BAY AREA AND TEXAS. HIS CHILDREN NEED TO KNOW THEIR FATHER IS OK. I TOO DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT TOOK SO LONG TO GET THIS INFO OUT FOR HELP. SO PLEASE I PRAY THAT YOU ALL WOULD HAVE SOME COMPASSIONATE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THEIR CHILDREN MAY BE READING SOME OF THESE MESSAGES. THANK YOU

A lot of conflicting information. A walk to the store from Rancho is about 8 miles. That seems like a long way to go to the store considering it would be a steep walk home all up hill. The way to the river from the town of AP also would be somewhat hard to stumble upon if you weren’t familiar with the area. It just seems a little suspicious that this man walked all the way from Ranch to AP and happened to fall in the river. Just my opinion. Best wishes to his family and friends.

Thank you Kym Kemp for posting. My brother has yet to be found. Ray and I have been searching the river bar day and night since the night he didnt return on sun.Nov 20,2016 and will continue to do so until Mitch is found. I love my brother very much as does his family and children. Contrary to what the media is saying he is a man who is very head strong. He might have neen suffering from depression,who isnt these day’s. I am just concerned of what his four children will read about their father. My brother is a good member of society “Not A Crazy Criminal with A Gun ” lets just clarify that now. So in future thought regarding my brother Mitchell know that he is a loving father,family man who has a heart of gold. Maybe that will change the minds in the public eye and HELP FIND MY BROTHER (son of late Gabe Hernandez of Redway) Thank you for your concern,Natalie Hernandez

A friend if the families told me that it was his xwife who said he heard voices outside and that’s not the same as hearing voices. He never behaved that way in the 2 1/2 years with me. He never heard voices in his head. He would laugh at something like that.

A lot of things don’t add up. But no one in the family will talk to me. Noone said anything about him possibly trying to walk to the convenience store until this blog here. All the sister said is that they found the backpack on Monday the 21st by the river and that it appears his shoes and cell were with him. I am devastated but his mother said to me, that it’s a family matter and I guess she doesn’t want me involved apparently. I worry that search and rescue isn’t even looking for him. I don’t get what is taking so long to take more action. He disappeared on the 20th and I was asked if I had heard from him on the 26th. Last time we talked was on the 16th and we were talking about me joining him up there possibly. Even after he moved on November 2nd from San Diego to San Jose and later went to his sisters we continued to talk as frequently as possible. Our feelings for each other never changed. His mom lived with us until October 5th and she often came between us unfortunately but in her defense, she saw us go through a lot. We all had some fault in us being seperated.

No one needs to be naming names. This is not the time or place. This is neither the place to give out information in big paragraphs. All you will be doing is making people more confused and worrying more people. If you have information, it is best if you talk to the police.

I did leave a msg for the detective handling the case about 2-3 days ago. They didn’t call me back. And this is the only place where I was able to find out anything from, thanks to a friend who found it. I’m sorry for everything you are going through. I’m devastated too.

You have all my due respect. I am very concerned and devastated about Mitchell. I have just asked our Creator through my pendulum about what happened with Mitchell. Someone may think it’s crazy and I’m willing to make a fool of myself if I have to, for the sake of Mitchells life to be saved. But it says, he fell in a hole, I think he is still in there, he’s alone, it’s between the river and the AP Convenience store. He can’t walk. He doesn’t have food. Noone hurt him but he got hurt from falling in the hole. He isn’t doing well. It’s urgent that he is found. Infinite blessings to all. I just want him to be found and have a second chance to a happier life. Please someone save him. 💖👼✌✨Maybe more of you who know how to use a pendulum can ask our Supreme Creator the same questions I did and you can see if you get the same answers. It’s worth a try.

Is there any updates? Has Mitchell been found? Last conversation we had was years ago, but Mitchell is a sweet loving person always has been. I’ve known him since kindrgarden thru high school. I pray that he is found ….My heart goes out to the family & friends

My kids father Still has NOT been found and seems that people up in the Humbolt/Alderpoint knows what happened to him but they are not talking. Sad to say that maybe even close people to him knows who or whom took him and is just afraid to talk. I just wish that someone would come out and talk so that my kids and his family will have closure. Sheriff states there is nothing more they can do, but not too faithful on that. Seems like hush money is going around.